Fan-favorite Jack Rhysider of the Darknet Diaries podcast joins Hacker Valley Studio hosts Ron and Chris for the second episode of Hacker Valley Blue! Jack joins the show again during an ideal season - one focused on threat intelligence - and this episode will focus on Jack’s past in the field of threat intelligence, as well as on a major issue faced daily by analysts in the field: that of managing bias.

As the conversation begins, the group focuses on threat intelligence and Jack’s work in the field.  Jack has been pouring himself into his own podcast, leaning into the fact that threat intelligence is a form of knowing what has happened in the past by his sharing of stories.  Jack explains what has surprised him recently in his work, how he maintains a sharp sense of focus, and what sort of continuity he sees between the news-sharing of his current role and a more formal practitioner role within the field of threat intelligence.  Jack’s podcast work necessitates practical skill in his field, and demands an ability to share complex concepts through simple expression.

The work also necessitates strong skills of managing bias, and it is to this topic that the group turns.  Jack makes a practice of putting aside negative personal feelings about a person and looking for areas of agreement with the individual.  This practice, along with his feedback loop and his efforts to listen to actual voices, help Jack to tell both sides of the stories he shares.  In discussing the counteraction of bias, Jack touches on concepts of assumptions, bias toward self, empathy, and humanization.   And as the conversation winds toward a close, listeners will hear about Jack’s use of audio books, balancing fact and listener interest, appealing to different audiences, and navigating questions of personal privacy. 

1:40 - Listeners are introduced to Jack and the episode ahead.

4:13 - How is Jack currently thinking about storytelling?

8:40 - The group dives into some topics related to Jack’s work: his focus and need for practical skill.

12:37 - The conversation turns to the subject of bias.

28:28 - What is Jack doing for research today, and how does he navigate technical questions of storytelling?

36:35 - Finally, Jack and his hosts turn to considerations of personal privacy.

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